There appears to be much needed a work on parliamentary law, based, in its
general principles, upon the rules and practice of Congress, and adapted, in
its details, to the use of ordinary societies. Such a work should give, not
only the methods of organizing and conducting the meetings, the duties of the
officers and the names of the ordinary motions, but in addition, should state
in a systematic manner, in reference to each motion, its object and effect;
whether it can be amended or debated; if debatable, the extent to which it
opens the main question to debate; the circumstances under which it can be
made, and what other motions can be made while it is pending. This Manual has
been prepared with a view to supplying the above information in a condensed and
systematic manner, each rule being either complete in itself, or giving
references to every section that in any way qualifies it, so that a stranger to
the work can refer to any special subject with safety.
To aid in quickly referring to as many as possible of the rules relating to
each motion, there is placed immediately before the Index, a Table of Rules,
which enables one, without turning a page, to find the answers to some two
hundred questions. The Table of Rules is so arranged as to greatly assist the
reader in systematizing his knowledge of parliamentary law.
The second part is a simple explanation of the common methods of conducting
business in ordinary meetings, in which the motions are classified according to
their uses, and those used for a similar purpose compared together. This part
is expressly intended for that large class of the community, who are unfamiliar
with parliamentary usages and are unwilling to devote much study to the
subject, but would be glad with little labor to learn enough to enable them to
take part in meetings of deliberative assemblies without fear of being out of
order. The object of Rules of Order in deliberative assemblies, is to assist an
assembly to accomplish the work for which it was designed, in the best possible
manner. To do this, it is necessary to somewhat restrain the individual, as the
right of an individual in any community to do what he pleases, is incompatible
with the best interests of the whole. Where there is no law, but every man does
what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty. Experience
has shown the importance of definiteness in the law; and in this country, where
customs are so slightly established and the published manuals of parliamentary
practice so conflicting, no society should attempt to conduct business without
having adopted some work upon the subject, as the authority in all cases not
covered by their own rules.
It has been well said by one of the greatest of English writers on
parliamentary law: “Whether these forms be in all cases the most rational or
not is really not of so great importance. It is much more material that there
should be a rule to go by, than what that rule is, that there may be a
uniformity of proceeding in business, not subject to the caprice of the
chairman, or captiousness of the members. It is very material that order,
decency and regularity be preserved in a dignified public body.”
H. M. R.
December, 1875.
